Signature requirements and deadlines for 2015 state government elections
The signature filing deadline is the date by which candidates or citizens must file nominating signatures with election officials in order to have their name or initiative placed on the ballot.
The required number of signatures, and the dates by which they are due to state election officials, vary by state. Information on requirements for ballot measures, state executives and state legislatures can be found below.
Election overview
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Click your state Find information about 2015 elections.
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State ballot measures
- Main article: Ballot measure petition deadlines and requirements, 2015
= A deadline that has passed. Some states have more than one deadline, with differing deadlines depending on the type of ballot measure or because there are multiple stages in the petition submission process.
The information below includes the filing deadlines and signature requirements for state ballot measures.
| State | Filing deadline for 2015 ballot | Signatures for amendment | Signatures for initiative | Signatures for referendum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | August 3, 2015[1]
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98,492 | 98,492 | 98,492 |
| Maine | January 22, 2015, was the deadline for initiatives. For referendums, petitions must be submitted to the Secretary of State within 90 days following the adjournment of the legislative session in which the legislation under question was approved.[2]
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N/A | 61,123 | 61,123 |
| Mississippi | October 8, 2014, since the legislature convened on the planned date of January 6, 2015.[3]
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107,216 | N/A | N/A |
| Ohio | July 1, 2015[4]
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305,591 | 91,677[5] | 183,355 |
| Washington | January 2, 2015, was the deadline for Initiatives to the Legislature.
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N/A | 246,372 | 123,186 |
State executives
- Main article: State executive official elections, 2015
= A deadline that has passed.
| 2015 State Executive Primary Information |
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| State | Signature Filing Deadline | Primary Date | Days between Deadline and Primary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | 1/27/2015
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5/19/2015
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112 |
| Louisiana | 9/10/2015 | 10/24/2015 | 44 |
| Mississippi | 2/27/2015
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8/4/2015
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158 |
State legislative
Note: Ballot access is a complicated issue. The dates in the table below are primarily for candidates filing for access to the primary. For more detailed information about each state's qualification requirements -- including all relevant ballot access dates for the primary and general election -- click to our detailed pages in the state column.
| 2015 State Legislative Primary Information |
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| State | Filing Deadline | Primary Date | Days from Deadline to Primary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 9/10/2015[7]
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10/24/2015
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44 |
| Mississippi | 2/27/2015[8]
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8/4/2015
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158 |
| New Jersey | 3/30/2015[9]
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6/2/2015
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64 |
| Virginia | 3/9/2015[10]
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6/9/2015
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92 |
Judicial
- Main article: Judicial elections, 2015
= A deadline that has passed or has not yet been publicized.
| 2015 Judicial Election Information |
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| State | Signature Filing Deadline | Primary Date | General Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | August 11, 2015
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- | November 3, 2015
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| Louisiana | September 10, 2015
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October 24, 2015
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November 21, 2015
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| Mississippi | March 3, 2015
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November 3, 2015 (General)
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November 24, 2015 (Runoff)
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| New York | August 16, 2015
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September 10, 2015
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November 3, 2015
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| Pennsylvania | March 11, 2015
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May 19, 2015
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November 3, 2015
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| Washington | May 15, 2015
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August 4, 2015
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November 3, 2015
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| Wisconsin | January 6, 2015
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February 17, 2015
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April 7, 2015
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "2015 Election Calendar," accessed December 16, 2014
- ↑ Maine Secretary of State, "Deadlines for Current Citizen Initiatives," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Initiative Guide," accessed December 16, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Election 2015 Calendar," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ Ohio uses both direct and indirect initiated statutes. For the Legislature to consider an indirect statute, 91,677 signatures are needed, which equals three percent of the total number of ballots cast in the 2014 Governor's election. If the Legislature fails to qualify the statute, a sponsor must collect an additional 91,677 signatures.
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Elections Calendar," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "2015 Elections," accessed January 2, 2015
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "2015 Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
- ↑ New Jersey Department of Elections, "2015 Primary Election Timeline," accessed February 2, 2015
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "2015 November Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
